An often-humorous chronological collection of experiences and encounters that Reynolds recorded from the time he was inducted until he went aboard the U.S.S. Essex as a Marine fighter pilot. He describes flying episodes and the characteristics of various aircraft...particularly the F-4-U Corsair. However, the "Diary of a Lucky Leatherneck Throttle Jock" is more about off-duty life...principally the pursuit of females and firewater, and of the antics of some wild and crazy guys he knew.
Follow Reynolds from the sweltering heat of Iowa during Pre-flight School to flying open cockpit trainers in sub-zero temperatures in Minneapolis. Then on to the completion of flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas, and receiving the gold wings of a Naval Aviator.
He next takes you to Vero Beach, Florida, for operational training in dive-bombers followed by more of the same at El Toro in southern California. Stick on his tail as he joins a fighter squadron in Mojave, California, which is subsequently sent to Hawaii and finally to the fleet anchorage where Reynolds boards the carrier Essex.